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Pat O'Daniel and his Hillbilly Boys

Very Rare Old Time Radio Musical Program. PAT O'DANIEL AND HIS HILLBILLY BOYS



More Info here
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/OO/fo'4.html


This audio is part of the collection: Old Time Radio

Keywords: Old Time Radio; OTR; Pat O'Daniel; Hillbilly Boys; Musical Programs

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

Notes

I like Mountain Music,
Good ole Mountain Music,
Played by a real hillbilly band.
I like bread and biscuits,
Big, white fluffy biscuits,
Hillbilly flour makes 'em grand.
So while we sing and play
And try to make folks happy,
We hope you'll say,
Please pass the biscuits, pappy

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Reviewer: Robin_1990 - - April 17, 2008
Subject: Great Program!
I didn't know what to expect when I decided to listen to this, But I really enjoyed it. The sound quality is quite good, and the songs are delightful. When it comes to both Old Time Radio and Old Time Television, I really most enjoy programs which consists almost completely of music.

Reviewer: Lum Edwards - - June 8, 2007
Subject: "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"
From http://home.hiwaay.net/~ajohns/retro/Hillbilly.html

"Please pass the biscuits Pappy!" was a familiar call heard on Texas depression era radio emanating from Ft. Worth. Led by Burrus flour mill sales manager, Wilbert Lee O'Daniel, the Hillbilly Boy's daily (noon?) fifteen minutes of hot licks and happy patter roused citizenry to the point of electing the colorful W. Lee O'Daniel to a term as Governor! In 1941 he successfully beat out Lyndon Johnson for a seat in the Senate.

Fans of the movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" might be interested to know that the "Governor Menelaus 'Pappy' O'Daniel" character played by Charles Durning is in fact based upon the real life character W. Lee O'Daniel. Coincidence doesn't stop there. The young blues guitar player's character (Tommy Johnson) is loosely based on famed blues legend Robert Johnson, whose skill with the guitar after journeying a spell in the Mississippi delta area, was so improved that folks said he sold his soul to the devil at a crossroads meeting to get it. Not only that, the only recordings we have from the short life of Robert Johnson were the result of a single recording session on November 23, 1936, "unceremoniously squeezed between W.Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys the day before, and Hermanas Baraza con guitarras the day after." Unfortunately, neither Hillbilly Boys nor Robert Johnson recordings are to be found anywhere in the "O Brother, Where Art Thou" soundtrack.

In 1931, Bob Wills pursuaded Burrus Mill and Elevator Company under the presidentship of W. Lee O'Daniel to sponsor his band in a radio program to advertise the Burrus lightcrust flour. In 1935, after a series of disputes, Wills was fired. O'Daniel then formed his own band "The Hillbilly Boys" and his own flour "Hillbilly Flour". With this band he stomped and successfully won the 1938 gubernatorial race.

Reviewer: spyder550 - - June 8, 2007
Subject: Is there a file missing? Number 39?
I would hate to see an incomplete archive of this. This is remarkable stuff.

Reviewer: Pumpelly - - June 5, 2007
Subject: Pappy O'Daniel?
The correct name is Pappy O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys. Pappy originally sold "Light Crust Dough" through his first group, "The Light Crust Doughboys".

Pappy (W. Lee O'Daniel) was a flour salesman and radio announcer who took to radio to sell more flour in 1927. His show consisted of down home tunes that O'Daniel wrote for the broadcasts, homespun stories, and old time religious poems and songs.

In 1935 Pappy stopped selling flour for others and started selling it for himself - Hillbilly Flour, and he then started his own show. The show opened with a request to "Please pass the biscuits Pappy", and amidst fiddles and guitars of the Hillbilly Boys Pappy's friendly and fatherly voice could be heard. P

Pappy ran for governor of Texas and was elected in 1936(?), due mostly to his radio show and the recognition he got from it. Pappy's show was the most popular radio show in Texas history at the time. One of his political slogans was "Flour Not Pork".

Reviewer: Daniel Beller - - May 25, 2007
Subject: A piece of magic
I think we all have to thank the individual that uploaded these files and IA for hosting this magic piece of american culture. These rare takes give a taste of unadultered and pure hillbilly music, as played in the 1930's. Getting to know the musical roots of this country and sharing with the IA community these 70+ year old broadcasts, will open a door to present generations, who grow up on "American Idol" and the like, to see where true music comes from.
Back in the 1930's, during the first years of electric recording, putting the music onto a shellac disk, involved just the performer(s) and a recording engeneer. No fancy effect and no digital editing. In other words, the music came from the heart and soul, not from a sequencer. That's why so much music from that era sounds so delightful.
Pat O'Daniel and his Hillbilly Boys left us these broadcast takes for us to enjoy and learn. Recommended.

Daniel Beller
daniel.beller@gmail.com

Reviewer: opryman65 - - March 6, 2007
Subject: Great and wonderful hillbilly music from the genesis era of country music
What wonderful windows into the historic sounds of country music (and western swing). I thoroughly enjoyed these programs and you can learn a lot from listening to this music - in its purest form here. As the writer before me commented, you owe it to yourself to listen to every one of these programs.

Reviewer: Archie_Kiver - - January 24, 2007
Subject: the bitchin'-est
you owe it to yourself to hear pat o'daniel and his hillbilly boys. you've owed it for quite a while and you are tired of your excuses. better pay up. i like number 17 a lot.